WASHINGTON, D.C. — Money is the name of the game as the President and Congress wrestle over what to do with the massive debt the nation has accumulated and to consider a budget for the coming year. The Democratic-controlled Senate hasn’t passed a budget for three years. The Republican-controlled House has failed to convince the […]
Beware the 3 Rs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pilots — as well as everyone else in the United States — can expect political turbulence over the next months and longer. In fact, what this lame-duck Congress can and will do in the weeks before the inauguration may give hints as to what the next four years will bring to general […]
GA continues on NTSB most wanted list
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation continues on the ‘‘10 most wanted” list issued by the National Transportation Safety Board, but GA organizations point out strides made in advancing the safety rate. The general aviation accident rate has remained relatively steady over the past 10 years at 6.8 per 100,000 flight hours. However, components of general […]
Learning to fly in a Cub
As a student pilot flying a Piper J-3 Cub, on any beautiful Sunday afternoon it was not unusual to be 8th to 10th on downwind at Zahn’s Airport at Amityville on New York’s Long Island. The year was 1954. Finally, I was able to take flying lessons, having been transferred from my position on a […]
Experiences in other nations raise concerns about proposed user fee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congress and the president have big taxation problems to resolve before the end of this year, so there will no doubt be a lot of discussion about aviation user fees. On Dec. 31, all the “Bush” tax cuts will expire, the debt limit will need to be increased, and payroll tax cuts […]
Bringing the cost of flying down
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Manufacturers of general aviation airplanes, users of those airplanes, and the FAA are taking steps to reduce the costs, complexity, and time involved in certification in an effort to reduce prices and stem the decline in general aviation flying. Recently, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association held […]
Questions abound about proposed user fee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Small Business Committee recently held a hearing about President Obama’s proposal to charge a $100 per flight user fee for some flying. Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) came out strongly against the proposal, as did many of the committee members. Some people involved in general aviation believe that since […]
NBAA denounces President’s attack during debate on business aviation
User fees on general aviation are still a threat as President Obama raised their ugly head in his comments on taxes during the debate Wednesday night (Oct. 3) with Mitt Romney. The President’s statement brought a quick condemnation from Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association. In his remarks about taxing […]
Recession, fuel costs ground pilots
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation is going to have an uphill struggle to get back into the growth mode, according to a 92-page report released late last month. The report is based on the thesis of two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which delves into the current and historic trends in GA […]